A Disease Called Debt talks about the different emotions of the debt repayment process and addresses Debt Denial. This was something I definitely struggled with in undergrad. My thought at the time was that “well everybody has to take out loans to go to school” or “it won’t be that bad to pay back later”. Definitely wrong.

Sarah at GoGirlFinance gives 4 great tips for making a finance plan in your 20s. #3 (having an emergency fund) is so important!

Okay readers, this week’s song is an oldie but goodie. First to comment here or on Twitter (@DebtFreeTejana) will receive the highly valued VIRTUAL HIGH FIVE and Twitter shout out!

Yes. And I have been for some time now. And you know what, I am happy. Very happy in fact!

Now, I am not against relationships or marriage or any of the lovely dovey stuff. One day, I do want to get married and have a family, but that day is just not today and I. am. okay. with. that.

So, friends, family, and friends of family members, please stop feeling the urge to set me up with every single man you know under the age of 30. Or to talk with me about them. Or tell me how cute he is and show me tons of pictures on your iPhone. Your friend/son/cousin/boyfriend’s best friend who is a fly fishing instructor in Minnesota is sure to be a good catch (my Aunt actually mentioned this guy last night and yes, pun intended), but let’s be real. I teach in Texas. What is the point of discussing all of the men in far places? Or really this place for that matter!

Is it not okay with the world for a 25 year old to be single and happy? To not be actively seeking a relationship right now? To, GASP, be okay providing for myself and figuring out my life? I am super picky and I know one day I’ll meet the stud muffin of my dreams, fall in love, get married and ride shining white unicorns into the sunset, but that time is not now. Please stop butting your nose into my business.

** First- I had the opportunity to guest post over at Fit is the New Poor yesterday 🙂 Check out the post and let me know what you think! **

Throughout your days of high school and college, I know the first thing on your mind was how you would define yourself as successful: when you moved back home with Mom and Dad- right? When I was in college and grad school, my parents had always told me that I was more than welcome to move back home if I would like to. No, noooo, I thought. I was an adult and I couldn’t live at home again… or so I thought.

Living with dear ole’ Mom and Pops saves you on rent, bills, and often times groceries (and if you’re lucky gas!). Just like living with roommates, there are ups and there are downs and its best to mentally “prep” for the big move.

After moving back home with my parents, my initial plan was to stay only for a few months and move out in June of 2013, after my first year of teaching. Then, January came and so did student loan payments. After a few months of putting down tons of money and hardly having any left over at the end of the month (I was on a different salary schedule last year), I sat down with my parents and decided to stay for another year. Then- I told them, I’d move out in June of 2014. My family and I would do just about anything for each other and my parents made it clear that I could stay as long as I needed and not even worry a thing about it . So, here I am (happily) at home and have, as of last month, have now decided to stay until June of 2015, when I will have my loans paid off (or at least that’s the goal).

If you just moved back home or are about to, moving back in as adult does require some adjusting. Keep the following in mind to help make your transition a little bit smoother.

Set Boundaries

This can be a really hard conversation to have and it actually took some time before my parents and I sat down to do this. My parents were the type that any time I came home during college, they never could really “sleep” until they knew that I had made it safely home. Once I moved back in as an adult, they never did anything like that, but we did have to have talks about a couple of little things: where I could keep stuff in the fridge (it sounds silly, but I’m super OCD and like to have things organized and my parents aren’t always so) or asking if I could have a shelf in the pantry (it actually took about 4 months before I got one) to keep my groceries.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents and I am SO grateful that they are letting me live with them while I pay off my debt. We actually live together really well, but it is important to be open and honest with them. If there is something that is bugging you while living at home, make sure to talk with them about it! This is true of any roommate, but even more so with your family.

Enjoy Family Time

If you’re living at home for free, make sure you carve out some family time. You’re (most likely) not going to live with your parents forever, so enjoy the time you have with them. Have a family dinner night, movie night or game night- but just do something. This school year, we started a Monday Morning breakfast tradition. Each Monday we wake up early to go out to breakfast together before work. I always look forward to it and it is a great way to start off our week!

Just Embrace It

At first, it was really hard for me to tell people that I had moved back home to live with Mom and Dad again. I felt like I had failed as an adult or something. But let’s be real- who cares? You can’t let other people’s thoughts of you dictate your life or how you feel. Living at home has been a HUGE blessing for me. I’ve gotten closer to my parents and have been able to put so much more money on my loans than had I been living on my own. To me, that has been worth it. And just remember– all the cool kids are doing it .

Do you live at home? What are your tips for survival? If you don’t live at home how do you save on living expenses?

HOLY COW! I cannot believe it. I worked an insane amount at the restaurant because of my two week break from school, but I also picked up a lot of catering events that were on school nights. I seriously busted my butt working this past month and it worked!